C NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) are rechargeable batteries that are often used in consumer electronics, manufacturing and industry and in offices everywhere.

The strength of an NiMH C size battery is between two and three times stronger than the chemistry called Nickel Cadmium. This is abbreviated as NiCD, which are also rechargeable. They are very popularly used in high-drain (consuming a lot of power) devices like Digital Cameras, Flashes, Radios and Flash Lights, just to name some. In these products where a lot of power is required to operate them, it’s easy to understand why hi-power batteries are the ideal choice and mostly sought after cells.

One of the most beneficial features that NiMH battery chemistry offers, in all battery sizes, not only C, is that they do not sustain what is known as MEMORY EFFECT, an effect which can be seen in NICD batteries.

What this translates to, is that they can be charged and recharged at any time, without concern for how much power they have left remaining in them. Memory effect is a result. It’s the result of charging a battery before it has become fully depleted of power. In a battery that can sustain memory effect, if it’s charged before being “dead”, it will only be topped off and this new level, (the point it was topped off from), will become the battery’s new total amount of power. Clearly this can drastically shorten the runtime of a battery. In NIMH technology, this effect doesn’t occur. It’s quite a freedom for many to charge and recharge NIMH batteries because don’t have to wait until those batteries have run out of power.

We mentioned run time. We’d like to explain what that is. Run time is simply the length of time (hours) that a cell will deliver power for, (over the span of one full charge). Run time is like capacity, and it is expressed in MAH. MAh stands for milliampere hours. A battery that has a mAh rating of 2900 mAh, means that it will deliver 2900 milliampere hours of power on one full charge. This is also known as a charge cycle. One cycle equals the run time over one full charge. Hence, the higher the mAh rating, the longer the run time will be of each cycle.

C NiMH batteries offer many life cycles of recharging. This is significantly higher than the single life span offered in Alkaline batteries, which are not rechargeable.

There is today, a more advanced battery chemistry in C size, as well as many other sizes, that is available in NIMH chemistry. It’s called LSD or, in its unabbreviated form, Low Self Discharge. They hold, or retain their charge, much longer than standard or regular NIMH. They discharge (when not in use – idle) much more slowly than standard ones. They can actually hold about 85 percent of their power (charge) while just sitting on the shelf, over about a 2 year span! That’s extremely beneficial for institutions and other volume users of LSD batteries who’s inventory might remain on the shelf for extended periods of time, until needed. Schools, for example, close during the summer season. Upon reopening in the Autumn, their LSD stock is still as fresh as it was back in June when they closed. We sell a large quantity of LSD batteries to vocational and trade schools and universities.

Here’s a little summary about NiMH battery chargers because it’s only logical that if you use rechargeable batteries, as C NIMH are, then you’d need a battery charger to protect that battery purchase and get the full life (many life cycles) out of your NiMH batteries.

Battery Chargers that charge C size NiMH batteries are sold in two different types of processing technologies. This simply means the way they operate. The way they perform their charging function. The ways are actually quite different with pros and cons and price differences to match each.

One of the processes is called Timer-Control Battery Chargers and the other kind is known as Smart Battery Charger. Smart battery chargers are also referred to as Intelligent Chargers. These next paragraphs will clearly illustrate why they are so intelligent.

Overview about TIMER CONTROL Battery Chargers

As the name implies, these chargers operate with an automatic shut off timer that is predetermined and built in during manufacturing. Charging time for different chargers range. Some charge for 4 hours, while others charge for 27 hours. Regardless of how long they charge for, the point is that they STOP charging AUTOMATICALLY at this pre-set amount of time. Timer Control Battery chargers are inexpensive. Very inexpensive but understand that all they do is charge the batteries in it for NON-NEGOTIABLE amount of time. This means that ALL The batteries inside it receive THE SAME AMOUNT of charge. But what happens when some batteries need less, or more? What happens to the batteries that were only used a little bit and only require a small topping off? What about the batteries that were almost dead at the time of charge if they are then charged for 15 hours? What happens is this:

Some batteries become overcharged and some batteries remain undercharged. Let us explain here that batteries that have become overcharged, are ruined. They’re ready for the trash! Batteries that are undercharged are not ruined – but they won’t give the use the run time they were intended to deliver. And sooner rather than later, they’ll need to be charged again. With all this, less than outstanding news, why would people still choose timer-control battery chargers when they buy a charger? Simple. It’s price! Perhaps they paid so little for their batteries, perhaps they were FREE, that they don’t mind losing them to t he trash by accidently overcharging them in a timer-control charger. The price of this type of charger is much less expensive than smart chargers and oftentimes it’s just a matter of budget. All they can afford to pay is the price of a timer-control charger. To be honest, for the user who always waits until their batteries are completely dead, this type of charger is good. It’s just that many of us, if not most, don’t keep track of the juice left in each of our individual batteries. When they get a little low, we usually want to top them off

Here, we explore SMART/INTELLIGENT CHARGERS

The best part about Smart Chargers is that they’re actually smart!! They have the ability to treat each battery placed inside it, individually. This means that each battery receives charge to the degree it requires it. One battery might be half full and only need to replenished half. Another battery in the charger might be ¾ empty and would need and receive ¾ the topping off power. This is quite an amazing technology! Yes, it costs more than does a timer control charger but no batteries can become over or undercharged in one. Over time, this higher price, greatly become absorbed (amortized) by the preservation of batteries it gives you. Your entire battery inventory can no longer be at risk for ruin, with a smart battery charger!

A battery tester isn’t a product that many people use often but they sure can come in handy when you do need them to test your C NiMH rechargeable batteries. Being rechargeable, it’s handy to know when they need more juice and just how much more juice! And that’s just what a battery testers role is. There are testers to test all NIMH battery sizes, including AA, AAA, C, D and 9 Volt and you can pick one up for a very small, and worthwhile outlay. Think about how owning a battery tester would benefit you or someone you know who uses batteries frequently.

For all large volume users of C NiMH rechargeable batteries, you can save good money by buying your inventory in bulk packaging. If you’re a reseller, you might need them in display cards for retail sale. No problem.

We supply C size NiMh rechargeable batteries at wholesale pricing to those who purchase quantity lots. We welcome Government Agency, School and University, Library, Corporate and Industrial Purchase Orders and will work with you closely, to deliver exactly what you require, when you require it. We are fully stocked and can accommodate scheduled shipments over time, as some customers require them, while others, prefer to have their order subdivided to several satellite locations of their organization. However you need them, just tell us! We are dedicated to becoming your number one battery supplier and will work hard to make it happen! We’ll work closely with you to meet just what your needs are! That’s the MEGA difference!

Kindly scroll up to the top of this page and you’ll find our wholesale inventory of C NiMH rechargeable batteries in 100, 244, 250, 488 and 500 Lot sizes, if you are shopping around for them. Should you spot an item of interest, simply click on it and add it to your shopping cart. Of course, we can deliver much much higher quantities as well… We simply list these lot sizes on our website, as sample options of what we can supply. All our inventory is in-house, in stock at our head office/warehouse facility.

If BEFORE you buy however, you have questions about the product, that’s what we’re here for. Please contact us with your query so we can technically assist you before the buy. Our mission is to deliver just the best level of customer service we can with the hope you’ll return to us time and time again for all your future battery and battery charger requirements.